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<title>Options Help</title>
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<a href="HelpRoot.html">Home</a>,
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<h3 align=center>Options Tab</h3>
<p>The Options Tab allows you to configure aspects of the multiplayer matchmaking lobby.  Options
are set separately for each user name of Sierra Online. Other Multiplayer (LAN and Direct play)
have a single set of options.  Available options and their use are described below.  Note that
some options apply to both Sierra Online and Other Multiplayer; other options apply only to
Sierra online or to Other Multiplayer.</p>

<h4><a name="_RefAccounts">Account Maintenance</a></h4>
<p>You can maintain your Sierra Online account on the Sierra Online Options Tab.  The right side
allows you to update all account information except your login name.  Note that you must enter your
current password before you can query or update your account.  Once you have entered your current
password, you can select <i>Query Account</i> to retrieve your existing account information.  You
can then update your account information and select <i>Update Account</i> to change your account
information.</p>

<p><a href="#_RefTop">Return to Top</a></p>

<h4><a name="_RefNetwork">Advanced Network Options</a></h4>
<p>The <b>Choose Network Adapter</b> and <b>LAN Broadcast Port</b> settings are advanced network
settings.  <i>It is highly recommended you do not change these settings unless you are comfortable
with your Internet set up and have a strong understanding of networking issues</i>.  All advanced
network options are available in the <i>Advanced Network Options</i> box, located in the lower left
of the Options tab.</p>

<p><i>Choose Network Adapter</i> is available on both the Sierra Online and Other Multiplayer
Options Tabs.  It will display a dialog that allows you to change the network adapter on your
machine used for online play.  This is only necessary if your machine has multiple network adapters.</p>

<p><i>LAN Broadcast Port</i> is available only on the Other Multiplayer
Options Tab.  You can use it to specify the port used to broadcast LAN games.  Changing this port
is only necessary when the default port is conflicting with other applications on your LAN.  Note that
all users on the LAN need to use the same LAN broadcast port to see games.</p>

<p><a href="#_RefTop">Return to Top</a></p>

<h4><a name="_RefHosting">Checking Your Ability to Host Games</a></h4>
<p>The Options Tab displays information about your ability to host games and lets you know if
you are behind some types of <a href="Security.html">Internet Security</a>.  The lower left of the
Options Tab contains a box labeled <i>Advanced Network Options</i> which contains a read-only display
of <i>Local Address</i> and <i>Public Address</i>.  If these two fields do not match, some type of
Internet security is present between your machine and the Internet.</p>

<p>If the <a href="Icons.html">TAC Icon</a> is displayed next to <i>Public Address</i>, then you will
most likely be unable to host games for Sierra Online or Direct Connection; other players on the
Internet will be unable to connect to your machine.</p>

<p><a href="#_RefTop">Return to Top</a></p>

<h4>Common Options Summary</h4>
<table width=95% align=center border cols=3>
<tr>
	<th align=left width=20%><b>Option</b></th>
	<th align=left><b>Values</b></th>
	<th align=left><b>Description</b></th>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Default Tab</td>
	<td>Quick Play<br>Lobby<br>Community<br>LAN<br>Direct<br>Options<br>Help</td>
	<td>Determines tab display after logging in.  Quick Play, Lobby, and Community
      are
only available for Sierra Online; LAN and Direct are only available for Other Multiplayer.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Connection Speed</td>
	<td>28.8 kbps<br>33.6 kbps<br>56.6 kbps<br>128 kbps<br>DLS/Cable<br>T1+</td>
	<td>Specifies the speed of your Internet connection. Setting the speed faster than your connection
will result in poor performance.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Show Banners</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Controls display of the <a href="Overview.html">banner</a> at the bottom of screen.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Lobby Sound Effects</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Controls presence of UI sounds.  This includes button clicks, error/warning sounds,
and the welcome to Sierra Online Sound (played after you login).</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Chat Sound Effects</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Controls presence of <a href="Chat.html">chat</a> sounds.  This includes whisper
received, friend joined server, and friend left server.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Staging Sound Effects</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Controls presence of <a href="GameTab.html">game tab</a> sounds.  This includes
all players ready, invite to game received, ask to join received, and player joined game.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Lobby Music</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Controls presence of background music.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Show Warnings and Confirmations</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Controls display of warning and confirmation dialogs.  It is recommended
that you leave this option on unless you are comfortable with online gaming.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Show Games in Progress</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Controls whether games that are in progress (and unjoinable) are displayed in the
<a href="GameBrowser.html">Game Browser</a>.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Choose Network Adapter</td>
	<td>Button</td>
	<td>This is an <a href="#_RefNetwork">advanced network setting</a>.  Most users will not
need to change it.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Local Address</td>
	<td><i>Read Only</i></td>
	<td>Displays the local IP address of your machine.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>TAC Icon</td>
	<td><i>Read Only</i></td>
	<td>The <a href="Icons.html">TAC icon</a> is displayed between the <i>Local Address</i> and
<i>Public Address</i> fields and is only visible if there will be <a href="#_RefHosting">difficulty</a>
for you to host games.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Public Address</td>
	<td><i>Read Only</i></td>
	<td>Displays the public IP address of your machine.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Restore Defaults</td>
	<td>Button</td>
	<td>Pressing this button will restore all options on the current screen to their default values.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Reset Filters</td>
	<td>Button</td>
	<td>Pressing this button will reset all column filters on the
<a href="GameBrowser.html">Game Browser</a> to their defaults.</td>
</tr>
</table>

<p><a href="#_RefTop">Return to Top</a></p>

<h4>Sierra Online Options Summary</center></h4>
<table width=95% align=center border cols=3>
<tr>
	<th align=left width=20%><b>Option</b></th>
	<th align=left><b>Values</b></th>
	<th align=left><b>Description</b></th>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Filter Dirty Words</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Controls chat filtering for profanity and other offensive words.  Note
that no filter is perfect; creative users will still find ways around it.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Auto AFK</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Controls whether you will automatically be marked as Away From Keys (AFK) when you have
performed no actions within the lobby for 5 minutes.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Anonymous to Friends</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Controls your visibility to any friends list.  Enabling
this option means you will always be marked as offline.  Note that you are still visible in the
various <a href="Chat.html#_RefUserList">user lists</a>.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Auto Ping Games</td>
	<td>on<br>off</td>
	<td>Control available games query for latency immediately after you log in.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Account Query/Update</td>
	<td></td>
	<td>Use this area (multiple controls) to <a href="#_RefAccount">query and update</a> your account
information.</td>
</tr>
</table>

<p><a href="#_RefTop">Return to Top</a></p>

<h4>Other Multiplayer Options Summary</center></h4>
<table width=95% align=center border cols=3>
<tr>
	<th align=left width=20%><b>Option</b></th>
	<th align=left><b>Values</b></th>
	<th align=left><b>Description</b></th>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>Username</td>
	<td>Drop Down List and Buttons</i></td>
	<td>Selects your username for LAN and Direct Connection games.  The default value is <i>newbie
      </i>
which will be replaced when you define your first name.  Use the <i>Add</i> button to create a new name.
Use the <i>Remove</i> button to delete the currently selected name.</i></i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
	<td>LAN Broadcast Port</td>
	<td>Read Only Field and Button</td>
	<td>This is an <a href="#_RefNetwork">advanced network setting</a>.  Most users will not
need to change it.</td>
</tr>
</table>

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